having a job that never ….

having a job that never felt like work,” wrote Chaplinski.

Rosemeyer has been with HCK for a year and a half. “She has a mind for the animals,” said Sonny.

“What makes us such a successful team is our dedication and commitment to getting better and working harder every day,” wrote Rosemeyer.

The driving force behind the Piekarzes’ push to do more? “There’s a patriotism to it, there’s also the achievement of doing it,” said Shannon.

“You’re really giving something back that’s huge,” said Sonny. “And then it’s the challenge,” he continued. “Being backed into a corner, it drives me.”

Most of the dogs working in this field have been coming from overseas. HCK’s mission is to produce, breed, and develop these dogs in the USA.

In addition, HCK wants to see metal and weapons detection dogs dually employed as school mascots, keeping children safe while also providing support.

Recently, the Gilman School Board has approved allowing HCK to come into the building while the children are present. HCK isn’t a stranger to the school; they’ve spent time there on weekends letting the dogs explore and search for their beloved rubber ball in the empty building. HCK has already explored some other area schools as well.

HCK is looking to the community for help in furthering their mission. They need access to local businesses to keep their dogs interested. “The dogs learn real fast,” said Sonny. “When they go into service, they’re going to be seeing a new place constantly.” Since the Piekarzes don’t know which field the dogs will be assigned to once they graduate to Global K9, they opt to expose them to as much as possible. HCK especially needs to familiarize their dogs with crowds so that when they graduate from Global K9, they’re prepared to take on big events such as NFL games, concert venues, and political rallies.

“We are always looking for ways to improve our dogs, and one of the biggest ways to do that is by exposing them to new environments all of the time. Each business and facility has something different to offer us and our dogs, so trying to gain access to these businesses will be huge,” Chaplinski wrote.

Thanks to the collaboration of Hay Creek Kennel with local businesses and schools, these dogs are working to learn life-saving skills that are helping to put Gilman and Taylor County on the map as a region that takes pride in safety, service, and patriotism.